


Omega’s Choice

by Nethvester



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26979574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nethvester/pseuds/Nethvester
Summary: Choice's are hard to see when you have no faith in yourself.
Relationships: Asami Ryuichi/Takaba Akihito
Comments: 21
Kudos: 153





	1. One

Akihito ignored the sounds of movement about him. The blindfold couldn't block out the knowledge of his father's presence regardless of how well it blocked out the room's light. He heard the click of the balcony doors and the cold from the summer winds pebbled his naked skin. He unconsciously tugged at the chains holding him in place as he shivered.   
  
His feet were spread far past his shoulders and locked to the feet of the king sized bed. His arms were like wise stretched out and chained to the top corners of the wooden canopy. He wasn't very tall and the position forced him to his tiptoes in order to prevent strain on his shoulders, not that he wouldn't strain them before the night was through.   
  
Aki didn't know what had angered his father but he prayed that three nights of the whip were enough to placate him. The man had been summoned from their regional kingdom to emperor's court nearly a week ago. He'd left certain that he was about to be rewarded for quelling a peasant uprising over the summer and ensuring that the crops were harvested and stored on time.   
  
The Takaba kingdom was tiny but important to the greater Sion Empire. They were the largest producer of buckwheat and sweet potatoes though they rarely sent men to join the ranks of the Empire's army. In the past few decades thought the people of Takaba had grown tired of their ruler's unreasonable demands and wild mood swings. Takaba-sama was unstable and unpredictable. He was as likely to praise as he was to punish. The uncertainty of his responses had stressed the man's advisors and driven the populace to revolt several times. The clashes between them and the Takaba aristocracy were growing in size and frequency.   
  
His father, as unpredictable and unstable as he was ruled the small region with an iron fist and disobedience, actual or perceived, was met with swift physical retaliation. Akihito had spent his life under his father's tyrannical rule. The older servants told stories of a softer kinder man from before Akihito's birth. His father had apparently doted on his mother and the woman had been the kindest soul to ever grace the Takaba lands.   
  
Akihito was reminded daily that it was his fault for his father's behavior. If only Akihito hadn't been born too soon, if only Akihito hadn't been born an omega, if only Akihito's birth hadn't killed his mother then Takaba-sama wouldn't have to live without the light of his life.   
  
The whip was nearly silent as it flew through the air. The fall wrapped about his torso placing the frayed end of the popper just over his left chest. He sucked in a breath with the pain. His nipple throbbed as a thick welt started forming before the whip was drawn back.   
  
"Do you know why I have to punish you, Kudaranai?" The whip fell again this time wrapping about his right leg and snapping sharply into the back of his knee.   
  
"Because I am a useless waste of resources, Takaba-sama." Akihito kept his voice soft. The rage pounding at his muscles would do him no good. Years of this ritual had taught him the proper answers. He answered without emotion while silently praying the conditioned responses would sooth whatever had been irritating his father since his return from the emperor's court.   
  
"That's right, useless." The whip fell again. "Useless and expensive. I should have gelded you when you were a child. I could have fetched a pretty price for you with the spice traders." The whip fell with the words each struck harder and more painful than the previous. "Instead I was kind and kept you and how do you repay me? Tell me, Kudaranai! How did you repay my kindness?"   
  
The whip cracked against his body Akihito's confused silence driving his father's anger higher. "You useless, worthless piece of crap! How dare you take Ai from me!" The whip fell again.   
  
Akihito panted out apologies and chanted his agreement about how worthless he was. He was sorry he hadn't meant for Ai to die and he deserved the punishment. The whipping sped up as he spoke and soon his father was yelling almost incoherently about how Akihito was the worst thing to ever happen to the Takabas and how had he been born right then his father wouldn't have had to sign a beta up as the heir.   
  
Sudo Shu had joined the household the previous summer and Akihito's life had gotten progressively worse since the young beta had arrived. Takaba-sama had always been unstable but the presence of the beta irritated him with the constant reminder of his failure to sure an alpha heir. To make matters worse Sudo was already married to a distant cousin Mayu Aoki so his father couldn't even mate him to Sudo and secure the Takba blood line.   
  
Male omegas could not inherit from the Takaba kings. It wasn't to be tolerated by his old fashioned father that consistently spouted the uselessness and worthlessness of male omegas in general and Akihito in particular. The Takaba kings were alphas and only took omega females as wives. Those wives birthed alphas. The only reason that Sudo had been named heir was that Takaba-sama was the last surviving alpha of the line. Male siblings were traditionally strangled when the heir took the regional throne.   
  
His father had remarried four times since his birth. Each wife had been younger that the last and each wife lost to strange illnesses sometimes months into the marriage. No other aristocrat had allowed Takaba-sama access to their daughters after the last marriage. Young Momohara Ai had been fifteen when she'd supposedly fallen deeply in love with Takaba-sama at the annual royal spring ball. She'd snuck out of her father's townhouse and given herself to the elder Takaba in a fit of passion.   
  
At least that is story published in the country newspapers. Akihito knew better. Ai had snuck out of her father's house. However, it had not been to rendezvous with Takaba-sama. In truth she had been on her way to the capital's port where she had booked passage to Britannia. She had been accepted to the prestigious academy of arts in Londinium but her father had forbidden her to attend a school out of country.   
  
Her life had not gone as planned. His father had seen her at the spring ball and had sent his most trusted men to spy on her father's house in an attempt to learn how to capture her. She'd made it all too easy by leaving the safety of her home without even a servant. The actual legality of their marriage was suspect. Traditionally the only thing required for a woman or an omega to be considered married was to bed them with at least two witnesses to the deed. Sion law required that the father or guardian of the woman or omega and the husband to be sign a marriage certificate with at least four witnesses.   
  
In Ai's case, Akihito's father brought her straight back to Takaba lands with hardly any stops along the way. Once in the Takaba manor the brute had stripped her down to her stays bent her over the entryway table and raped her. There had been numerous witnesses though each of their stories said she had gotten on her knees and begged to taken.   
  
Akihito would not have lied to the officials that had come to fetch Ai home. Not that they had asked or cared about the truth. They hadn't even bothered to speak to Ai, who at the time of their visit had been tied to the end of his father's bed in a very similar fashion as he was currently tied to his own. No the investigators hadn't even stayed for dinner taking their sacks of silver and leaving young Ai to face Takba-sama's unpredictable moods.   
  
Akihito and she became close through their shared suffering under his father. They were close in age with Akihito being only two days older than Ai. They had shared a love of art and language and had enjoyed their time drawing the Takaba gardens and translating the old books in the library. They had found comfort in each other's presence though Ai often cried and literally wasted away being unable to keep most meals down. The two short months she had lived in the Takaba Manor were filled with bittersweet memories and Akihito's last days of freedom.   
  
Ai was the only wife that his father had not strangled or beaten to death. Instead she took her own life when she learned his father had succeeded and gotten her pregnant. Akihito had begged her to not do it but she'd been unable to bear the thought of bringing another Takaba into the world. So one warm summer night while his father was visiting a neighboring kinglet Momohara Ai slit her throat in the quiet of her locked chamber and Akihito lost the only friend he'd ever had.   
  
That had been in June and now July was drawing to a close. He still didn't understand how he was responsible for Ai's death. He did know that Sudo had spun a tale of clandestine meetings and whispered conversations between Akihito and Ai whenever his father was out of the house. They had met in private and whispered to each other but Akihito had in no way encouraged Ai to take her own life. In truth until she'd learned she was pregnant their whispers had been about escape. They'd had a plan centered on the summer crop inspection and up until that last night of her life Ai had had hope.   
  
He heard his father drop the whip and slam out of the room. The cool air made him shiver as he tried to lessen the tenseness of his muscles. Since his father had not unchained him he would have to rest while hanging. The servants knew better than to free him before sunrise. He hissed as he relaxed the pain blossoming now that he was conscious of it.   
  
A chuckle sounded in the room and he tensed again. A leather gloved hand smacked into raw back causing him to arch away from the touch. Sudo's voice sounded in his ear. "Takaba-sama sees you as worthless. I know better. I have found you an Alpha little omega and he's willing to pay your weight in silver." Sudo slapped his back again and then exited the room.   
  
Akihito breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth slowly. It wasn't the pain that had him taking the measured breaths, it was panic. No alpha of his father's or Sudo's acquaintance was desirable in his book. They'd be as cruel as or worse than the two of them and Akihito was certain he'd rather join Ai than suffer under another Alpha's hand. He'd have to escape.   
  
He closed his eyes. Tomorrow, his father and Sudo had a planned inspection of the fields to determine which would be planted for a fall harvest and which would be left to lay fallow. They always spent the night at the far village tavern after an inspection seeing as how the farthest fields were a day's ride from the manor. He would be released in the morning and make his escape once the manor had gone to sleep.   
  
The guards left on the property were lazy and spent every night Takaba-sama was not in residence playing cards and dice in the soldier's quarters. The servants wouldn't know he'd left his rooms as he was always locked in them whenever his father was gone. Bread would be left for him when he was released in the morning along with a skin of wine before the chamber doors were bolted and chained. They'd not even know he was gone until the following evening when his father would come to punish him again.   
  
Unbeknown to his father and Sudo the manor was filled with secret passages. They were old, very old. Most built into the original structure. Nearly a hundred generations of Takabas had lived in the building which had over time been expanded and remolded. Many of the passages were now dead ends but one led out of the house and far beyond the manor grounds.   
  
Past the gardens and even the small hunting park there was a small cave that exited near their neighbor's lands. He thought it might be Sakazaki lands. It was this passage Akihito would take to escape. There were several small valuables in the room not bearing the Takaba crest. He would take them and sell them to the first peddler he could find.   
  
Then he'd dress as a beta and make his way to the capital. According to Ai, Londinium, Britannia had laws protecting omegas. In that country women and male omega couldn't be forced into marriage, they even had a female ruler. Aki closed his mind and let dreams of being an artist and earning his way through his drawings fill his thoughts. He was going to Britannia. He'd be free. 


	2. Two

He wasn't free. His father and Sudo had not ridden out to check the fields the following morning. Instead his father had overseen the servants release him and bath him before wrapping up the worst of his wounds and clothing him in a traveling gown. He was then escorted to the small windowless Takaba carriage where he was locked inside.   
  
They spent nearly a week traveling. Akihito was allowed out of the dark carriage once in the mornings and once in the evenings to relieve his self and stretch his legs under the watchful gaze of his father. Not that he'd have been able to run had his father taken his eyes off of him. A short chain ran between the manacles about his ankles connecting him to a large iron wrapped stone. This prevented him from taking anything more than tiny steps on the rough rocky ground they traveled.   
  
His father didn't tell him where they were headed. In fact other than a few grunts each time the man released him from the carriage he received no communication at all. He heard the change in the wheels as the carriage passed from gravel to stone. There was a long pause which he assumed was their party passing through a guarded gate if the few words he could catch were any indication. He startled when he heard "Welcome to the Capital, Takaba-sama," clearly near the locked door.   
  
He was in the Capital! It was good. All he had to do was find a way to escape and he could board a ship for Londinium. The fact he was hobbled and his bare feet were near torn from the rocky ground didn't dissuaded his hope. He swore he could smell the sea air through the tight fitting boards making up his traveling prison. He would be free soon enough.   
  
The rumbled along the streets for what felt like hours before the carriage rocked to a halted and the door was unlocked. His father reached in and pulled him into the bright light of the noon sun. He had only a few seconds to glance around before he was dragged up a set of stone steps and into a talk narrow building. He was then pulled up a narrow set of wooden stairs and shoved into a small bedroom.   
  
His father pushed him into the room's only chair and watched as the guard that had followed unlocked the manacles about Akihito's ankles. When finished the guard left and his father stood over him with his arms crossed. "Tomorrow when the ball is over you will be signed over to Sakazaki and I will recoup a smidgen of the cost of raising you."   
  
His father gripped his left upper arm and squeezed it hard. Akihito could feel the bruise forming. His father shook him snarling, "I should have never registered your birth. Had I not, I could have sold you to Sakazaki already and not bothered with presenting you to the Emperor." He shoved Akihito back into the seat. "I suggest you resign yourself to your fate, Kudaranai." He turned to leave then looked back over his shoulder, "Oh, and you should thank Sudo when you next see him. He found a use for you and you'll get rich Alpha out of the deal rather than an Ottoman spice trader."   
  
Akihito shivered as the door locked. He glanced at the windows and rose to inspect them. They were tiny and bared. He'd never get through them. He sat again. He didn't know much about the ceremony involved in being presented but he was pretty certain he wouldn't be chained while in the emperor's presence. That would be his only chance. He would have to be ready. He wouldn't be able to take anything but the clothes on his back still that was better than nothing. He shuddered at the thought of failing to escape.   
  
He'd only met Sakazaki once and that was once too many times. He'd been thirteen and the Alpha had come to sign a border agreement with his father. Sakazaki had caught him on the stairs to the family rooms and shoved him against the wall whispering into his ears that he was asking for Akihito as part of the agreement. The alpha had been working Akihito's gown open when a servant summoned him back to the negotiation table. Akihito still didn't know why the Alpha had left without him that summer.   
  
He suspected it was the old retainer from his mother's days that had convinced his father to not go through with the trade. Though it was just as likely that his father hadn't like whatever Sakazaki had offered for him at the time or that his father had been swinging towards giving a crap about him. The man's swinging mental state had never made any sense to him.   
  
He was suddenly exhausted and the bed at least looked to be comfortable. He stripped from the traveling gown down to his skin and piled the clothing into the basket on the floor next to the small armoire. Inside the cabinet he found one set of clothing including a lawn shift which he pulled from the cabinet and laid across the end of the bed.   
  
He poured water from the jug into the basin and washed his body as best as he could with the small cloth and cold water before climbing between the sheets and closing his eyes. Tomorrow he'll either be free or condemned to life he'll abhor. He had to escape by any means necessary. His only other option would be to follow Ai.   
  
He was left alone through the night. Akihito suspected it was because unlike at the manor the servants at the townhouse were not indentured to his father's estate. They were paid employees with rights and privileges not afforded to the peasantry of the outer kinglets. Sion's holdings were highly progressive and supported by the Asami bloodline with the largest most impressive army in the Empire joined with wealth beyond measure to back up their claim to the seat of power.   
  
So it was with a bright smile and a cheerful demeanor that a young woman unlocked his door and entered with a breakfast tray. His father followed closely behind. Takaba-sama sat in the room's chair and watched silently as the maid settled the small footed bed tray over his lap, "Here sir, would you like anything else?"   
  
Akihito looked down at the tray in shock. At the manor his morning meal consisted of part of a loaf of bread and maybe a hardboiled egg. They tray on his lap held a rolled omelet, steamed rice, a broiled fish, and Tamago Kake Gohan, a rice dish he hadn't had since he was six. He'd never be able to eat it all. He shook his head and glanced at his father. When the man made no movement he picked up his chopsticks and the bowl of Tamago Kake Gohan.   
  
He had expected the maid to leave the room but apparently the city servants expected to be able to work regardless of who was in the room. The young woman pulled the curtains that someone had closed the night before open allowing sun to stream into the room. She then pulled the set of clothing from the armoire and laid them out before pulling open a folding screen and hiding the chamber pot.   
  
She stood near the window while Akihito ate silently monitoring his needs. The tray held a pot of tea and she would use it to refill his small cup each time it became low. Had his father not been glaring at him he would have enjoyed the leisurely meal.   
  
Soon enough however he was stuffed. He'd eaten all of the porridge and some of the fish. He finished up the last swallow of the tea and the young woman removed the tray and pulled the covers back. Akihito didn't miss the frown that briefly touched her face as his genitals came into view. He wasn't certain why they bothered her. All male omega had small testicles, didn't they or perhaps she frowned the lash marks? He was fully aware that his father's treatment of him was abnormal. He'd been told so by his mother's old retainer.   
  
She jerked her eyes from his crotch at the sound of his father clearing his throat and smiled. She gestured to the screen and Akihito realized she was waiting for him to go behind it and relieve himself. It was novel to have privacy though only visually from people watching his morning absolutions. When he finished a moist cloth was passed around the edge of the screen which he used to wipe his hands and around his crotch. He wished he could unbind his member but the memory of the only time he'd ever removed the leather strips made him shudder and thoughts of freeing himself was shoved aside.   
  
He passed the wet cloth back in exchange for a dry one and then accepted the lawn shift. He pulled it over his head and the screen was pushed back. The clothing was simple and obviously not designed for doing much more that sitting at home. The shift was covered with a long nagajuban tied about his waist with a simple cotton cord. Over this a simple long sleeved kimono and short obi were tied into place. She knelt and helped him into toed socks a luxury he'd never been permitted before.   
  
When done the maid folded the screen fully away and took the chamber pot and the clothing basket out of the room. A second maid entered to straighten the bed and removed the breakfast tray. Akihito stood silently at the window looking through the barred glass to the street beyond. The city was full of people many more crowded the street below than he'd ever seen in his life. He fought the urge to run out of the door the servants had left open while they worked. He knew he wouldn't make it across the room.   
  
When the servants were finished cleaning up the room they left and his father rose. Akihito tried not to tense but failed and was forced to close his eyes against the glare his father gave him. The man gripped his neck and shook him. "The dresser will be here just before sundown. He will clothe you as befitting a member of the Takaba household. You had best behave at the Emperor's ball, Kudaranai. Sakazaki has paid a lot of silver for you and I won't have you messing it up."   
  
Aki nodded but held his sigh in until his father had left once again locking the door behind him.   
  
The day might have passed in quite boredom had Akihito not long learned to entertain his self. He scrounged through the drawers of the bedside table and found a small twine bound note book. A piece of burnt stick in the cold fire place made a serviceable piece of charcoal. He started by drawing the room about him first then the street beyond his barred window. Eventually his fingers flew across the thick rice paper scratching out thin lines and smudging and blurring the dark pigment until the world he could only see in his mind came to life on the pages. He was truly lost to his own thoughts when the lock turned again.   
  
He barely got the notebook hidden in his long sleeve before his peace was violated by his father and a strange man in Britannian dress. Behind them were three servants carrying large boxes. Akihito stood and crossed to the window again. He placed the notebook discreetly on the table while the servants set up the screen again.   
  
The young woman from that morning smiled gently as she took his hand and led him behind the screen. She helped him disrobe down to the skin. The servant then rubbed his body with floral oil and scrapped him until his dusting of hair was gone. Then she powered his body with even more floral scents. His lips were tinted with crushed red rouge and his eyes outlined with dark kohl. They left his face otherwise clear as it was considered in poor taste to put makeup on virgins.   
  
He was helped back into the lawn shift before they helped him into the elaborate kimono. It was in a feminine style with a rich pattern of blue sky and white clouds above a set of green hills. The bottom hem was embroidered with numerous foxes at play the Okami being a symbol of house Takaba. The Obi was a bright blue long and thick enabling the man that had entered with his father to tuck up the extra fabric of the kimono to the proper length for his height. A small chain of gold was tied around the obi centered with a small silver and gold charm symbolizing he was omega.   
  
His towed socks were changed out for a fresh pair and he was helped to kneel on the floor while the servants moved about his head tying up his hair and filling it with jewelry and adornments. His golden locks were wrapped about a cotton filled tube dyed the same color has his hair providing a larger base upon which his father's wealth was displayed.   
  
It took nearly two hours to dress him and by the time they were through Akihito's scalp and skin felt raw and angry. His father locked him back in the room while he dressed and Akihito took the time to tuck the charcoal stick and notebook behind the obi and quickly rolled the simpler daytime kimono into one of the long elaborate sleeves. The bellowing fabric hid the extra bulk well enough that his father took no notice when he returned.   
  
They were driven to the place in an open rickshaw. They were just one among hundreds of father child pairs headed to the ball. Akihito notices there were more girls and omegas than he'd ever seen before. Each one dressed as elaborately as he was. He wondered about the others as their carriage slowed in the mass of people moving towards the palace.   
  
Did the others look forward to the ball? Did they hope to meet their mates there? How many of them were as terrified as he was about the outcome of the night? Did any else plan on using the crowds to run away?   
  
The going was slow but they finally reached the palace doors where scarlet robed guards bearing the Asami family crest aided him from the rickshaw. One took his arm and led him away from his father. Takaba-sama growled and reached for him. "Where are you going with my son?"   
  
The guard guiding Akihito didn't pause but Akihito heard the other guard reply, "New rules for the ceremony, Tabaka-sama. All omegas and females being presented to the emperor will enter from a side chamber. You may rejoin your son once the presentations are complete."   
  
Akihito nearly crowed. This was his chance. He could escape. All he had to do was find a way to separate from the others and make his way to an empty room. Once there he could divest himself of the bulky clothing and hair and then make his way to the port. He walked with the guard until he saw the room full of others. It was large but packed. He thanked the guard as the man left him at the threshold and moved into the crowd alone.   
  
It was nearly unnerving. He'd never been surrounded by this many people. Worse they were all overly perfumed and in far too many layers of clothing for the warm summer night. The sweat and cloying smells clouded the room. Across from the sliding door he'd been deposited at was a bank of paper screens opened to a large garden.   
  
He crossed the room carefully and made his way to what he knew had to be a cooler if not less smelly area to find an escape from. He stepped out past the doors and scanned the garden. It was perfect. Just beyond the room the light ended in dark shadows. There was a small spot of light further in just peeking out from the line of thick trunk cherry trees. The place was probably gorgeous in the spring when the trees bloomed. Part of him wished he'd be there to draw it.   
  
He shook the fleeting thought from his mind and slowly made his way towards the shadows. His heart nearly beat its way out of his chest with fear. He was certain that his father or Sakazaki or anyone would pop up in front of him and force him back into the throng of young men and women waiting to be presented.   
  
Instead it was like he didn't exist. He wound his way through the trees and out beyond them. The area turned from thick trees to a grassy area about a stone pond. The light he'd glimpsed came from a half dozen floating lanterns. Once again he wanted to stop and draw. The site called to his artistic soul but even more that art the dark paper screens of another set of doors called him to escape. 


	3. Three

"Why can't I go?" Rinichi asked for at least the fifth time while he watched his older brother dress. "I don't understand. I'm a big boy!"  
  
Ryuichi smiled down at his baby brother. The youngster was spoiled. He was the second born to his father and likely the last of the Asami children for this generation. Additionally he was omega and their mother had not survived his birth. He and his father missed the woman terribly Ryuichi because she had treated her older stepson like he'd been her own and his father because after the nearly disastrous political marriage that had produced Ryuichi the man had gotten to mate the love of his life.  
  
He chuckled at the boy and rubbed his hair, "You can't go because you can't be presented to court until you are fifteen and regardless of how big you are you only just had your fourth birthday."  
  
The little boy crossed his arms and pouted, "No fair. You got presented at birth and have attended every one of these stupid balls. I wanna go too!"  
  
Ryuichi sighed, "If I could I would stay here and paly shoji with you. Balls aren't nearly as much fun as you think they are. Mostly it is a bunch of old people trying to talk you into political alliances and promising things they can't deliver on." He ruffled his little brother's hair again. "There isn't even any food."  
  
The boy's eyes grew wide and he gasped, "Wait, no food? What kind of party is that?"  
  
"The most boring kind." Ryuichi tugged the last of his formalwear into place and double check himself in the standing mirror before turning back to his brother. "Now behave for Kage while I'm gone and tomorrow we'll go out on the horses."  
  
"Promise?" the little boy stared up at him with light brown eyes. Many of the courtiers said that his little brother didn't have the Asami gold eyes because he was obviously not an Asami. They had hated that the Emperor had chosen the daughter of the merchant class to be his second wife rather than another member of the gentry. Where others saw signs of adultery by his stepmother Ryuichi and his father both saw Kirishima Miu's eyes resting in the boyish features of the woman they'd both loved.  
  
His cousin's voice came through the closed screen between his dressing room and the main portion of his chambers. "Come in Kei. I'm ready." He quickly hugged his little brother and then straightened. He allowed his solemn mask to fall over his features and exited through the open sliding doors. He mentally ran the list of ministers and vising kinglets that he'd be required to interact with grimacing when he remembered that King Takaba would be presenting his son that evening. With any luck the boy would be nothing like his father. Though he had little faith in luck and figured the young omega would be as obnoxious as the father or worse a simpering idiot who's only thought was how to secure the heir apparent to the Empire as a mate.  
  
It was that reason why he truly hated these balls. Every year the gentry presented their omega sons and daughters to his father like cuts of sashimi. If polite society had allowed it he was certain that many of the parents would have presented the youngsters equally as bare of adornments. His father had promised that his marriage would be on his terms. Political alliances would be secondary to emotional attachment.  
  
Neither he nor his father would allow another like his birth mother to be close to the throne. It had been only the timely intervention of the Souh family that had prevented his father's assassination the Sakazaki's were lucky that there was no proof his mother's attempts were any but her own ideas.  
  
The noise from the court rose as he approached and the throng parted to allow him entrance into the main hall. He glanced across the room to the throne and nodded before giving his father a small bow and approaching. They only stood on ceremony in the main rooms of the house but they used it to great effect.  
  
He mounted the small dais and stood just behind and to the right of his father. It was a position only his step mother had ever been allowed before him. When he had taken his position and his cousin and second had stood to his right his father nodded. It was time to inspect this year's fish.  
  
In an attempt to make the presentation more about the actual youngsters and their families his father had instituted a procession where each young alpha or omega was introduced not by their father or guardian but by a member of his family's personal retinue. Each was introduced to his father then him personally and given approximately fifteen minutes of his time alone.  
  
The change in rules that allowed the alpha's to be presented to directly to the emperor evened out the playing field for coveted positions in the court. The next crop of alpha pages and omegas in waiting would be determined by the impression made upon Ryuichi and his father. This gave him and his father significant control over what families interacted with each other and could encourage or discourage alliances between the youngsters long before they were pared by their backstabbing parents.  
  
Often the youngsters were too nervous to do more than titter and stare at him. A few were able to hold conversation but it was usually practiced and held little in the way of substance. After enduring the practice for nearly seven years Ryuichi had quickly learned the art of feigning interest while his mind wondered.  
  
It took nearly an hour to reach the one name he was actually interested in hear. Though, it wasn't with any hope that the boy would be different than the other hundred that had so far been presented. He looked up from his glass of wine when the name Takaba was sounded across the ball room. He was expecting a small blonde, if the boy took after his father's side of the family at all. What he didn't expect was a slow silence to descend across the ball room as it became clear that no one had answered the summons. The Takaba title was called again and Asami watched with amusement as the little King grew irritated.  
  
However, it wasn't funny when the king turned on the Asami servant that was trying to prevent the man from entering the antechamber where the other hopefuls resided and shoved him. Ryuichi growled a sound that in court was considered uncouth and the sign of barbarism. Ryuichi didn't care. His family didn't need to impress the courtiers and the people that knew him understood that his growl was the only warning the person he was upset with was going to get.  
  
When the little Takaba king ignored the warning and shoved the servant again. He stepped from the group surrounding him and paced across the room to the scuffle taking place. Takaba pulled his fist back and swung at the servant. Ryuichi stepped in front of the older man's fist blocking it with his palm while gently pushing the servant back into the room he was guarding.  
  
The royal guards tightened their fists around their pikes and shoved their sharpened ends towards King Takaba's neck. It took the blades at his throat to bring Takaba out of his nearly blind rage at being denied access to the waiting chamber.  
  
Ryuichi just smiled and instructed the guards to take Takaba-sama to a resting room to await a private audience with the Emperor. This was the behavior they'd been waiting on. The Takaba's had been a thorn in their sides for three generations after a brief alliance by his great-grandfather with them through marriage. That was a marriage that had nearly ended in the Empire's collapse. The Takaba's had attempted to use his grand-father, who had ascended to the throne at age four as a puppet Emperor.  
  
It was only the brave actions of the boy's older omega brother that had saved the Asami family and ultimately the Empire. The teenage omega gave his self to the head of Suoh family as a concubine. Without even the security of a formal mating the young prince exchanged his own freedom to secure his little brother's. Today the Suoh family was still one of the two closest to the Empire and omegas had extended rights in the boarders of the Asami and Suoh lands.  
  
The behavior of the Takaba king would have been enough to get the family band to their estates; however the action of assault upon the crown prince was enough to get him hanged now, to deal with the son.  
  
Ryuichi entered the waiting chamber. It was nearly empty with fewer than ten youngsters left to be introduced and of the six in the room four were Alphas and only two omegas. The introductions of four were more a formality than anything else. Hatsu Kou an omega and Inaba Takato an alpha were distant cousins through his birth mother. Luckily both were from branches that not only were loyal to the Empire but were directly loyal to the Asamis. Both their father's had counseled his grandfather against the Sudo marriage warning of their power hungry personalities.  
  
Two of the other alphas were nearly identical twins named Kuroda Sachi and Kuroda Sohsu. They were the little bothers to his father's court secretary Shinji. The last two Ryuichi had never met but it was clear they were already too frightened to participate in introductions. He made note of their family crests and promised to ensure the two youngsters got to meet him later. The four he knew crowded him and peppered him with questions. They wanted to know what was happening and why the Takaba name had been called. It was Kou that cleared up what was going on.  
  
"Asami-sama, are you looking for the Takaba omega?"  
  
Ryuichi nodded, "Yes, Hatsu, do you know where he is?"  
  
The youngster shook his head, "Not exactly, he wondered off into the gardens and I haven't seen him since. He looked terrified. I think he might have been running."  
  
Ryuichi nearly laughed. That certainly wasn't what he'd thought he'd find. Though given the rumors out of Takaba lands and the loss of Momohara Ai to their plotting he wasn't surprised. Surely the boy knew that the Emperor was looking for him to pay his part in Ai's death. Though, Sudo Shu's reports were suspect themselves. Ryuichi figured the man would say just about anything to get his family back in the Asami's good graces.  
  
Still there were other reports that the boy had been cruel to Ai once she'd been forced to mate his father. The Takaba's were not known for their kindness and it had been with careful planning that he and his father had planned on outing the pair of them at the ball. He stepped out into the garden his guards following him at Kirishima's command. 


	4. Four

Akihito was lost. The palace was enormous and it looked like the bulk of it had been closed off while the ball was going. He stumbled along corridors and past numerous interior doors. As he went he shed the layers of the fancy kimono until he was left in just his nagajuban. He paused to pull on the much simpler lounge Kimono and then wrapped the long obi back about his waist and tied is best as he could. He didn't really want the thing but the cloth was stitched with gold thread and he might be able to trade it for passage on one of the Britannia ships at the port. He stuffed the small note book back into the waist band and then stuffed the elaborate kimono behind a sliding door.   
  
He probably could get more money for the garment but with his family crest sewn into the hem he was worried they'd try to return him to his father. He kept the slippers as well for though not really the correct type for travel they were better than just his tabi socks alone.   
  
He'd only been wondering for about forty-five minutes when he came across another garden. This one was light brightly and it was clear that it was used often. There was a partial fort built under the largest tree from long limbs and old futons. It looked to be the sort of place he and Ai had put together to escape the weather in their bid to avoid the main Takaba house whenever possible.   
  
He moved out of the dark building into the light of the floating candles and bright gas lamps. The garden was of Britannian design with short box bushes and numerous flower beds planted in geometric patterns around the center tree where the fort sat. Even better than the beauty surrounding him though, was the gate leading to what looked to be a side street if the rumbling carts he could see pas the bars was any indication. He set across the garden careful of the borderless flower beds and skirting the small pond when he heard the child squeal.   
  
He halted and turned to see a small raven haired boy being stalked by an enormous black jaguar. The black cat was poised to pounce and the boy was staring at the creature with what Akihito could only assume was abject terror. He glanced around and saw two royal clad guards lying dead near the boy. They must have died trying to fend off the beast. Akihito didn't think past that thought. In less than a heartbeat he'd screamed and leapt in front of the creature covering the boy with his own body as bright white teeth and claws descended on him.   
  
It was to the sight of Takaba-sama's bleeding son and his crying little brother that Asami entered the family gardens. His jaguar, Kage, was stalking the Takaba omega. Clearly trying to separate the teen from Ryuichi's little brother. What he found confusing was that while the omega was clearly trying to prevent the jaguar from reaching the little boy it appeared to be more in an attempt to protect little Rinichi rather than harm him.   
  
In fact the omega was working his way back to the building and not towards the gate that led to the stables where one might make an escape from the compound. The sight confused him enough that he paused to watch without bringing any attention to himself or his guards.   
  
The omega was glancing around the garden and seemed to make some grim determination before he shoved Rinichi towards the palace yelling "Run!" as he in turn threw himself at the large jag. Ryuichi's heart leapt to his throat. The omega was half Kage's size and given the number of slashes in the boy's simple kimono and the blood soaking it he had to have known that he couldn't survive.   
  
"Kage, break!"   
  
The order nearly rang out to late. The jaguar was atop the young omega before the last syllable was out of Ryuichi's mouth. Kage was true to his training however and no sooner had downed the boy than he leapt away and clawed up the large tree. Ryuichi suddenly had his arms full of his tiny brother, "Ryu! Ryu! Help!!! The guards, the guards!" his little brother pointed at the mangled bodies of two men dressed in royal uniforms. It was clear that Kage had taken both out.   
  
"They tried to take me from the palace and Kage beat them, but he thought Kage was trying to hurt me and Kage wouldn't listen to my orders. You have to help him." Rinichi was gesturing at the omega lying still on the ground. He'd no sooner begged that Takaba be taken care of than he wriggled out of Ryuichi's arms and attempted to do so himself. He pulled at the boy's kimono and yanked it open. Next came the nagajuban and the lawn shift.   
  
Ryuichi stilled his brother's hands when the young omega's skin became visible to the lamp light. Kage had scratched the boy severely. Several long slashes appeared to flay the skin of the boy's right arm open from elbow to wrist. The boy's right leg wasn't much better; however, the cuts, though bloody, were actually superficial. Wrapping them for several days would see them healed. They most likely wouldn't even scar.   
  
No what, caused Ryuichi's hands to halt his brother was the older more brutal marks along the boy's body. Clear evidence of repeated lashings and beatings made a macabre pattern across the boy's skin. Worse the boy's small member was tightly wrapped with leather strips, a body modification practice that had been outlawed by the Asami Emperors nearly seven generations ago. The practice forced the boy's genitals to grow abnormally small and stunted.   
  
Ryuichi quickly passed his brother off to a nearby guard and then helped another field dress the wounds. When finished he picked the boy up and carried him to his own quarters. He still needed to talk to the boy about Ai. He and his father had promised retribution but Ryuichi no longer had thoughts of punishing the boy. Any part the omega had in Momohara's death was not by his choice. No one treated in the manner the omega had been and yet still threw themselves into the path of an angry jaguar would have willingly tortured anyone. 


	5. Five

The last memory Akihito had before blacking out was of an ebony furred jaguar leaping towards the small child he'd come across in the palace garden. He mentally checked his body for injury shocked but please to find he could still feel his toes and fingers and that while everything else hurt his face felt relatively normal.   
  
It was while he was trying to feel his face that he realized his arms were wrapped securely with several layers of soft cotton. His chest and stomach and legs were likewise wrapped and he realized he was surrounded by the pungent smell of herbs. He opened his eyes and peered about the dark space surrounding him.   
  
He lay in a large canopy bed. Flickering lamp light filtered through the small gaps in the thick embroidered silk curtaining the thick four poster bed. He recognized the pattern from his bedroom at home.   
  
He closed his eyes swallowing the sobs that rose in his throat. He'd known that he'd not escape if he stopped to help the boy. He'd prayed the jaguar would kill him while allowing the boy to escape. It had been a calculated risk that had not panned out as desired.   
  
His father had retrieved him. He assumed the bandages were for Sakazaki's benefit. His father had no other reason to treat any wounds he'd sustained. Movement sounded from beyond the curtains. A large shadow blocked the light he tried to hold the whimper back but it sounded through with loss of his hope. He was never going to escape his father and the horrible Alpha the man had sold him to.   
  
Ryuichi crossed the room when he heard the soft sounds of crying from the bed. He wasn't suppressed he could hear them even as quiet as the boy was. He wasn't certain why he was hyper aware of the boy, but he was. Every hitch of breath the boy had taken over the past two weeks had been felt more than heard. He'd know before the medical attendant when the boy was forming a fever and when the fever broke.   
  
He had left more than one meeting with the urgent need to verify the boy was safe and recovering. Each time arriving just before something had turned poorly in the boy's health. It was with much reluctance that Kirishima had finally just rescheduled all of his appointments for the next three weeks. He could hardly tear his self from the boy's side.   
  
So it was with great anticipation that he'd waited for the boy to awaken. It wasn't with the thought the boy would wake with palatable fear. He could feel the despair and the whimper that sounded when he approached the bed caused him pause.   
  
Ryuichi's mind flashed briefly to his initial meeting with Kage. The jaguar had been abandoned by its mother likely due to being smaller than normal jaguar kits and the kitten had been on its own for several days by the time Ryuichi had come across it while hunting. The kitten had made similar noises as he approached. Kage had flourished under his care and though the jaguar would no longer be able to survive on his own he was a stalwart companion and guard to Asami's family.   
  
The omega laying in terror on the other side of the silks covering his bed would be the same. He'd learn, like Kage had, that belonging to Asami Ryuichi was best. The boy would thrive. Ryuichi would ensure it.   
  
Aki shrunk back from the large man that stood over him when the curtain was pulled back. "I'm sorry, Alpha Sakazaki. Please, I won't run away again." He cowered and hated his self as he did so. He was so tired of it all. Maybe if he begged Sakazaki wouldn't hurt him as much as his father had. Surely it wouldn't be good for any pups the alpha wanted?   
  
The curtains were pulled back farther and a warm hand landed gently on his head. A deep baritone rumbled through his chest and caused his breath to catch. He didn't understand the words over his own whimpers and the surprise of not catching the back of Sakazaki's hand or a fist had him following the large arm up past the broad shoulders and to the bright gold eyes of a raven haired Alpha that was most certainly not Sakazaki.   
  
"If your father had planned on mating you to Sakazaki it is no wonder you attempted to flee, little one." The hand gently ruffled Akihito's locks and then slid down to cup his cheek. The voice soothed him and his body warmed at the Alpha's touch. It was like drinking the best tea while taking the warmest bath. It was such a pleasant feeling that when the Alpha wen to withdraw his hand Akihito whimpered again and tried to grab the man's hand pressing his cheek into the man's palm.   
  
The baritone chuckled and large body sat on the edge of the bed, "I'm going to need that hand back little one."   
  
Ryuichi smiled. Something he only ever did with his little brother. It was both extraordinarily strange and yet completely natural. The young omega's natural scent was finally coming through the herbs used to help heal him and the feeling of the boy's skin made his own pebble in anticipation. In truth he'd be quite happy to allow the boy to hold his hand against his small face as long as the boy wished.   
  
He'd heard his father describe the same feelings when talking about his step mother. It was quite possible that Takaba's omega son was Ryuichi's true mate.   
  
His advisors would believe he'd lost his senses and that something might very well have poisoned him causing delusions and other little noticed symptoms. Shinji already worried it was too pat for the boy to have come upon Rinichi's attempted kidnapping while running away.   
  
Ryuichi had been forced to put his longtime friend back in his place in front of a large number of councilmen in order to quell the dissention the boy's presence in his chambers had caused. It was common knowledge that the boy slept with him but had not yet been claimed. Like Ryuichi would take an omega in their sleep especially while recovering from the wounds the boy had had.   
  
Ryuichi nearly snorted at the memory of some of the more snide comments from the councilmen. The boy was perfectly fine as a consort and Ryuichi knew that he'd be seeking the boy's consent to mate as soon as he was able. The boy stilled and the smell of fear started permeating the air again when the chamber door slid open.   
  
Ryuichi gently stroked the boy's cheek, "It is ok, little one. It is just the physician coming to check on you. She thinks the bandages can come off today."   
  
He went to stand only for the boy to whimper again he shook his head and gently scooped the boy into his arms. The omega started rubbing against him. It was normal behavior for an omega approaching their heat. He stilled the boy's hips and spoke to the doctor that approached them. "He's going into heat. Can you give him the blockers?"   
  
Akihito didn't know what the alpha under him was talking about. He didn't have heats that only happened to mated omegas and he didn't have bite mark. He wasn't going into heat he just needed the Alpha's scent on him. If he smelled like this Alpha maybe his father couldn't find him; maybe Sakazaki would give up owning him. He didn't want Sakazaki he wanted this alpha.   
  
Ryuichi smirked again. The little omega didn't know he was speaking his thoughts aloud and it was obvious that the boy had no idea that omega could enter a heat cycle when a suitable alpha presented themselves. If his smell really did remind the boy of his favorite tea and his touch on the omega's skin made him feel warm like a good soak then it only meant the boy's biology had identified Ryuichi as a viable mate.   
  
It was for this reason that the old laws had held sway for so long around omegas spontaneous heats and the alphas that took advantage of them had necessitated that laws pertaining to official mating be developed. For centuries omega had been left unmated but bred with no alpha to see to the safety of the mother or child. The original laws however had removed the omega's rights to determine their own destiny and left the choice to biology. Not the best indicator of good mates.   
  
Thus the laws that the omega had to declare their intention to mate with any alpha to at least three witnesses before the mating took place. Though some of the older alphas applied the law liberally and often bred and mated an omega they wanted in full view of witnesses as proof the omega anted them. It was what had happened to Ai and Ryuichi was certain that Sakazaki would have done the same to young omega Takaba. He really needed to learn the boy's name. He didn't like calling him after the bastard king.   
  
"Kudaranai. My name is Takaba Kudaranai." Akihito hated the name his father called him. He much preferred the name his mother had left him, but he didn't want the alpha holding him to find out later that he'd lied.   
  
The Alpha wrapped Akihito in his arms and tightened them about Akihito's shoulders. He was whispering into his hair and Akihito closed his eyes. It was ok. He knew he was worthless, but for him he'd be good he wouldn't run away. Alpha just needed to tell him what he wanted.   
  
The arms tightened again and panic swamped Akihito's thoughts, "Please Alpha, please you can call me anything I won't be useless, please don't send me back!" He felt a prick along the skin of his neck and darkness took him. His last thought was that his father was right. Sakazaki was the only alpha that would ever want him.   
  
  
  
Ryuichi laid his omega down gently. The boy thought his name was worthless. It was in some ways more heart breaking than the physical damage left on the boy's body. He bent and pressed a kiss to the boy's forehead. "You're not worthless, little one, you'll see."   
  
He stepped back and watched as the wrappings were removed from the boy's body. It was something they did twice a day though the doctor felt that after today the wraps should stay off to allow the skin to refresh and repair. It was dusky and flaky where the wrappings had not allowed a proper bath. When the last wrap was removed the doctor took time inspecting the boy carefully. She smiled as she finished noting that the boy had significantly fewer scars than she'd thought he'd have. With time and proper care even more would fade.   
  
Ryuichi listen carefully as she explained the best way to care for the boy's skin going forward. Mainly he needed more meals with more protein in them. He was also still suffering from slight dehydration as getting him to swallow had been difficult during his weeks of unconsciousness. Ryuichi called a servant and instructed them to prepare a filling meal for the boy.   
  
He picked the boy up and made his way to the sunken tub in his private bathing chamber. There he stripped and sat the boy on his lap. He was careful with the soap and gently rubbed away the dry skin and then lowered both of them into a warm bath.   
  
The doctor said the boy would wake with a sounder mind in another few hours. Between now and then he needed to find out if the boy had really been registered as Takaba Kudaranai in the Empire population scrolls. 


	6. Six

Akihito was curled up in a swinging net piled with pillows and covered in a light cotton sheet when he woke again. He was also dressed in a light lawn shift covered by a dark trimmed nagajuban and a light blue yukata. The belt was loosely tied though it secured the garment enough to be decent.  
  
The room looked to be some sort of library or perhaps an office? The walls were covered on two sides by floor to ceiling bookcases. The hammock he rested in was positioned in the curve of several floor to ceiling windows like found in the Britiannian styled homes popular in the capital and surrounded by large potted trailing flowering vines and ivy.  
  
He blinked in confusion when his eyes came to rest on a large black jaguar curled around the small ottoman sitting in front of a wingback chair covered in dark green fabric with black piping. He was just about to decide he was dreaming when the creak of a chair pulled his eyes to the large raven haired alpha from before.  
  
He blushed with the memory. He wasn't certain why he'd acted like that. He'd certainly never wanted to rub himself on any other Alpha he'd met. Thought that could likely be because no other Alpha looked like that one. Certainly no other alpha could be as large and muscled or have hair with the same dark rainbow hue as a raven's wing or golden eyes like the Jaguar. Actually, in retrospect it was not wonder he wanted to rub the alpha's smoky scent all over his body.  
  
A warm Chuckle sounded across the room, "I take it you like what you see, Akihito?"  
  
He jerked his head up to look the Alpha in the eye and blushed. "Sorry Alpha, please forgive me. I'm not normally this outspoken. I know Alphas don't like it. I'll try to do better." He lowered his eyes to the floor. It appeared his earlier behavior and name had not chased the Alpha off. Was this Alpha the one that actually bought him? His father would have gladly reneged on an arrangement with Sakazaki ig had meant more money.  
  
He started to relax; this was a good thing right? The alpha had allowed him to heal from his father's beatings and even from the jaguar attack though. Akihito sat up and stared at the black jaguar curled up on the floor. "That was your cat!"  
  
The alpha chuckled again, "Yes, Kage belongs to me."  
  
Akihito sung his legs to the floor caught in the worry over the little boy he'd found being stalked by the boy. "You can't let it run around like this. It will scare people. What happened to that little boy? Is he well was he harmed?" Akihito frowned, "I can't believe you just let it stalk people like that!"  
  
The alpha stood and did his own stalking around then large desk Aki now realized he'd been sitting behind. The room grew cooler as the jaguar opened its eyes to watch the alpha cross the room. Akihito gulped, he'd done it now. He could never keep his mouth shut. It was his worst failing. He really was worthless he couldn't even keep quiet around the one alpha that had been kind to him. What was wrong with him?  
  
He squeezed his eyes shut. He could learn. He'd long stopped talking back to his father. He could learn how to act around this alpha he just had to keep his mouth shut. Warm fingers tilted his chin up and the alpha's baritone warmed him as it instructed him, "Look at me, Akihito."  
  
Akihito opened his eyes. They were captured by gold and the alpha smirked, "You have nothing to be afraid of, kitten. You are correct that Kage shouldn't be wondering around freely. Normally he is with me; however the night you met him I had left him to watch over the family gardens where my little brother often plays when we have lots of guests."  
  
"Little brother?" Akihito leaned into the alpha's touch.  
  
"Yes, Rinichi is my much younger brother and Kage was just performing his primary function of protecting him." The man took Akihito's hands and pulled him holding him steady while he found his feet. He kept careful hold of Akihito's elbow as he guided him to the wingback and seated him. When he was certain Akihito could sit on his own the alpha fetched the light sheet and tucked it about Akihito's legs, "There, we can't have you getting chilled now that you're up and about again."  
  
Asami sat on the small cushioned ottoman glad for the excellent furniture makers in his family's employment when the small seat didn't even creak at his weight. If it was anyone but the omega in front of him he'd have seated them on the opposite side of the desk from his person. It was only with this boy that he felt the need to keep in near constant physical contact.  
  
His father said the need would lessen once he'd placed his mating bite on the boy. Still until his little one could voice his own desire to mate to witnesses he was off limits. It made Asami's internal alpha side growl and try to argue that the old ways were better the boy was his and he needed to place his mark on him.  
  
He shoved that side of his personality down and attempted to address the important topic of the moment. He needed Akihito to tell him what the boy knew of Ai's death.  
  
The small tremors in the boy's hands nearly made him halt the questions he needed to ask. The boy was still weak from weeks of bed rest and Ryuichi knew he had nothing to do with Ai's death even incidentally. He pushed on though knowing that until the questions were asked and answered he couldn't move past them to actually trying to win his omega.  
  
"Akihito, I need to ask you some questions about your father." Akihito tensed and nodded prompting Ryuichi to continue, "I need to know what he did to Momohara Ai? Did he murder her?"  
  
Akihito jerked his hands from the alpha's grip as memories swamped his thoughts. "There had been so much blood and she had just laid there looking blankly at the bright yellow canopy over the bed. She'd left him after they'd promised to run away together. She hadn't wanted to be there. His father had hurt her beating her like he beat him. He'd tried to get the man to beat him instead but his father's moods were mercurial and he'd never been able to tell what would set him off or who he'd punish.  
  
Then Ai had learned she was pregnant; she'd left Akihito rather than bringing another Takaba into the world and what had he done? He'd slept through her slitting her own throat. There had been so much blood. He was worthless. He'd killed his mother with his birth and he'd failed to save Ai. Why? What was wrong with him that everyone he loved left him?"  
  
Ryuichi gathered the boy into his arms. The omega was nearly incoherent with grief. It was likely that the boy had kept it all bottled while still living under his father's roof. It hurt to watch the boy fall apart though. It hurt the boy thought it was his fault; that there must be something intrinsically wrong with him for everyone that cared even a little bit about him was lost. He let the boy cry it out murmuring little more than soothing sounds into his hair.  
  
The office door opened and Kirishima stepped in. Ryuichi's second looked distraught; he'd agreed that Akihito had not been part of the girl's death but had hoped against hope to learn something they could charge the man with under Empire law in regards to her death. That she had taken her own life as the result of abuse wasn't even covered by the law. Unless they could prove she'd been mated by force they had no hope.  
  
"I'll have some tea fetched, sire." Kirishima bowed.  
  
"She begged father to let her go home when he brought her home. He raped her and then ordered everyone present to tell the men following them that she'd begged to be his mate." Akihito's voice was nearly monotone. Then he pushed his self from Ryuichi's chest. Anger filled his next words, "They didn't even talk to her when they came. Father took them to his office and several of the servants gave their statements to them behind closed doors. They each had large sacks of silver when they left."  
  
Tears filled his eyes as he sobbed, "They didn't even ask her what she wanted. She'd have told them; she just wanted to go home. I promise I'm telling the truth."  
  
Ryuichi nodded and pulled Akihito back into his arms before looking at his second. "Look into the men Momohara-sama sent to retrieve his daughter. I think we need to question them again."  
  
Kirishima nodded and quickly left the office to carry out their first possible lead in months.  
  
Ryuichi gathered his omega close and stood turning so he sat with the boy on his lap while Akihito cried. Eventually the boy sat up and rubbed at his wet eyes. "Sorry, Alpha. I'll…."  
  
Ryuichi placed a finger on Akihito's lips, "You have nothing to apologize for Akihito. The only thing you have ever do for me is be honest." He cupped the boy's face in his palms. "An alpha's job is to take care of the omegas in his household be they mates, siblings, or children. You are now part of my household and I will not allow anything to hurt you anymore. Understand?"  
  
Akihito nodded, but his eyes held doubt. Ryuichi didn't try to convience him further. It wasn't like he could order the boy to believe his statement. The Asami family position on Omegas was rare and far more liberal than most. It would take time under his care for the boy to trust that Ryuichi wouldn't let anyone harm him again.  
  
A servant knocked and then rolled a tea trolley into the office when Ryuichi gave permission. The young girl blushed at the sight of Akihito curled into Ryuichi's lap. It irritated him that others were watching and judging his boy. They shouldn't be concerned with who their prince held in his lap. He couldn't recall his father having this issue.  
  
Akihito watched the young maid place the tea service out on near the alpha's elbow. When she went to pour he sat up. He wasn't worth much but knew how to pour out and properly serve tea. He waved the girl away and tipped the tea into a cup before shakily picking it up to pass to the alpha. He worried he'd spill it but the alpha captured the saucer and cup with his palms holding onto them by surrounding Akihito's smaller hands.  
  
"Thank you Akihito." The alpha waved the servant away himself and the girl exited the room. Before he asked, "Why don't we share? I would feel more comfortable if you let me help you while you are still weak."  
  
Akihito nodded and allowed the alpha to hold the cup while he sipped the bitter brew. He thought he'd kept his dislike of unsweetened tea from his face but the chuckle his alpha, no the alpha, gave him let him know he'd not kept his face as still as he'd hoped. He looked down at his twisting fingers and whispered, "I'm not a big fan of unsweetened black tea."  
  
"So I see. How about we fix you a different cup then. Just don't pick it up on your own. I'll hold it when you want a drink."  
  
"yes, alpha." Akihito poured another cup placing several cubes of sugar into the cup first. He stirred and then poured milk into the cup to both cool it down and make the whole drink creamier. When he placed the tiny tea spoon on the saucer large hands reached out and picked up the cup and brought it to Akihito's lips. He smiled as he sipped the warm drink. It was perfect.  
  
The alpha removed the lit to a double tiered serving dish revealing a selection of tiny sandwiches and small lavender scones. Akihito's stomach grumbled and the alpha laughed again. He picked up a small square of wheat bread and held it to Akihito's lips.  
  
The two thin slices were filled with a creamy egg salad. It was only about two bites in size and soon enough another sandwich was placed to his lips. This time it was whiter bread with butter and chilled dilled cucumbers between the slices.  
  
The alpha pressed the tea cup to his lips between the cucumber sandwiches and the next one filled with thin slices of ham and chard. He was just finishing shewing when the alpha asked, "So what is your favorite way to spend a free afternoon?"  
  
Akihito didn't hesitate in answering, "drawing."  
  
"Ah, I suppose the small notebook of charcoal drawings in your obi was created by you then?"  
  
Akihito blushed, "I did the art work, yes. I found the notebook in father's townhouse."  
  
"They were very well done; I would love to see what you could do with a larger canvas."  
  
"Thank you, alpha."  
  
Ryuichi pressed another sandwich on his omega. It filled him with satisfaction to feed the boy while holding him. He peppered the boy with questions as he fed him. What other hobbies did he have? Seems his boy liked languages, the older the better to his boy's mind. He found it fascinating to learn what the people before them thought about the world. Sadly he had little ability to speak anything but their native language. He knew six unspoken languages but could only verbally communicate in one.  
  
His favorite color was blue and had two favorite flowers the Hyacinth and the Puschkinia also called the Rusk Snowdrop.  
  
Akihito learned his alpha, the alpha, didn't have a favorite flower enjoying the traditional landscaping of Sion over the newer Britannian influenced gardens. He didn't like sweets and his favorite color was also blue. His alpha, the alpha, also had a knack for spoken languages speaking nine and being able to read seven of them. He couldn't make heads or tails of the dead languages Akihito loved including Japonese a language spoken long before the formation of the Sion Empire.  
  
Ryuichi and Akihito passed the following hour learning about each other. Unfortunately the tea was finished and the two undersecretaries that had politely knocked on the office door in the past ten minutes could no longer be ignored. Ryuichi needed to return to work and if the boy's yawns were any indication Akihito needed another nap. The doctor said he'd likely need several a day while he finished healing.  
  
Ryuichi summoned a servant and rose from the chair. He carried Akihito back to the small hammock and deposited him among the pillows. He was about to turn back to his desk when Akihito gripped his sleeve, "Alpha?"  
  
Ryuichi turned back with a smile, "Yes, little one?"  
  
"May I know your name?"  
  
Ryuichi almost laughed; he'd never given his omega his name. That would make it hard for the boy to request a claiming. He chuckled as he leaned over and kissed his boy's forehead. He stood and gently squeezed Akihito's hand, "My name is Asami Ryuichi." 


	7. Seven

He was free. Though it wasn't the freedom he and Ai had planned when hiding in the Takaba gardens and whispering their secrets to each other. He wasn't living as beta in Londinium and selling is drawings on the street.   
  
Instead he was a pampered guest of the crown prince of the Sion Empire. His days were no longer filled with the desperate need to please an unstable parent. Instead he spent his mornings reading old tomes from his alpha's, the alpha's, library while half napping in the comfortable hammock of the bay windows.   
  
His afternoons consisted of walks in the royal gardens of which he learned there were nineteen sometimes with his alpha, the alpha, but usually with several of Prince Ryuichi's personal guards and another omega named Hatsu Kou and strangely the large black jaguar, Kage. Though he suspected the Kage joined him because Prince Ryuichi rarely seemed to get the time to just wonder around outside.   
  
He had seven large notebooks filled with drawings of the various gardens, his new friend Kou, and Kage as well as one sole dedicated to one of his favorite subjects, Prince Ryuichi. There were other's that made it into his portfolio. Kirishima Kie and Suoh Kazumi were frequent subjects as well as the three alphas that had joined his alpha's, the alpha's, staff, Inaba Takato, and the twins Kuroda Sachi and Kuroda Sohsu. He even had one image of the Emperor, Asami Raidon.   
  
Most of his drawings however were of Ryuichi's little brother Rinichi or Rin as the little boy liked being called. For all that other's joined him as Akihito explored the gardens Rin was an almost permanent member of his group. The little boy was even trying to learn to draw because as he said, his hero, something Akihito tried to dispel given that Rin was never in any danger from Kage, was an artist. However the little boy was far too wiggly to take to the medium perhaps when he was a little older and less rambunctious.   
  
Akihito grew stronger physically and emotionally. He occasionally broke down. Ai's captivity and death had been pointless and sometimes when faced with strange alphas the years of abuse froze him flashbacks yanking him from reality and plunging him into nightmare scenes of being back at the Takaba estate chained to his bed or kneeling while his father shouted obscenities at him and blamed him for things over which he'd never had control.   
  
It was late October and the leaves on the trees had turned brilliant shades of gold and orange and red. Akihito, Rin, Kou were in the main palace garden enjoying a combined lunch and tea. The night time temperatures had started frosting the ground and it was one of the last days Akihito would be able to utilize the colored chalks his alpha, the alpha, he really needed to stop thinking of the prince as his, had brought him.   
  
Rin was napping, cuddled up to Kage who was giving Akihito a long suffering look which made him laugh. Now that he knew Kage the often put upon glare the cat would give the world was no longer believable. Kage was possibly the best nanny Rin could have equally willing to join in whatever mischief the boy was up to as he was to grab the boy by the short pants and deposit him back at Akihito's feet. However, if the cat could speak, it would never admit to enjoying a good napping session with the boy.   
  
When Kage accepted that Akihito wasn't going to send the boy inside he settled his head on his paws and closed his own eyes. Akihito laughed again and picked up his chalks and notepad. Kou was busy overseeing the servants while their picnic was packed away to take back into the palace. While the three young alphas were putting together a quick game, football if the round ball they were kicking between their feet was any indication.   
  
Akihito wasn't yet certain of how he felt about Kou, Takato, Sachi, and Sohsu. While he enjoyed their company he was quite certain they'd not even bother with him were it not for Prince Ryuichi instructing them to do so. He and Ai had clung to each other in desperation, growing close over shared pain and fear and hope. Kou, Takato, Sachi, and Sohsu were every bit as kind and thoughtful as Ai had been but often Akihito felt like an outsider with little understanding of their jokes and teasing.   
  
On the other hand none of them expected Akihito to act in a certain way and none of them had issues with explaining what they were talking about and drawing him into their group. They'd even taught him and Rin basic sword stances and defense. They certainly didn't treat him any different because of his secondary gender or expect him to act in a particular way. The three young alphas in fact often did things that Akihito had always been taught were omega jobs only like fetching and carrying the very picnic they'd just enjoyed.   
  
Were they his friends?   
  
"Are you going to draw something, Aki?"   
  
Kou's voice startled Akihito out of his musings making him jump and grip the new large tablet of cotton paper his alpha had gotten him. "Um, yes," he gestured towards the tree line separating the main part of the gardens from a small man made grotto where he and Rin had discovered some late blooming roses the day before, "I was going to draw the roses."   
  
"Would you like some company?" Kou was asking the question while watching the alphas set up a field with goals. It was clear to Akihito Kou wanted to play football.   
  
He shook his head, "I'll be fine on my own, thank you offering, but I think you want to play football more."   
  
Kou blushed, "It isn't proper though."   
  
The comment caught Akihito as he turned. The statement wasn't something he'd ever thought one of them would say, "Did the alphas tell you that?" He gestured to Takato, Sachi, and Sohsu.   
  
Kou shook his head no, "No, they wouldn't say anything like that. He would however." Kou's shoulders drooped, "He's never going to notice a rough housing brash omega like me, though."   
  
Akihito reached out and gripped Kou's arm, "Well I don't know who ‘he' is, but he sounds stupid." Kou's eyes widened and Akihito grew angry on his friend's behalf. "He is stupid if he's stuck on getting some molded omega. You are a great person Kou and pretty good friend. You deserve someone that wants you for you, not some alpha that wants to change you."   
  
"But…"   
  
Akihito gently shook Kou, "No buts. Go play football and if that alpha comes along and acts like you're wrong to be doing so just ignore him."   
  
Akihito was breathing heavily, how dare some alpha try to change Kou! The young man was sweet and considerate of everyone around him. He was always helpful and took great care to thank each servant that saw to their needs. He did his best to ease everyone's burdens. He often mothered their whole group.   
  
So what if he wanted to learn how to sword fight and preferred to dress in the pant suites of the Britannian's? So what if he steep tea to save his own life or burned the few attempts at cooking Akihito had seen him try? So what if Kou often seemed scatterbrained and unaware of what was going on around him?   
  
Akihito knew for a fact that was because his friend was always thinking three days ahead and trying to organize everyone so they could all get to do what they wanted and needed to and who else besides Kou could remember the name of every single person they'd ever met from the little girl that sold sprigs of flowers just outside the palace gates to the large, bushy bearded councilor that thought omegas should be kept behind closed doors. Kou should just tell the alpha he was good enough for him.   
  
It was Kou's laugh that drew him back from his internal rant only for him to realize he hadn't been as internal with his thoughts as he'd believed. Takato, Sachi, and Sohsu started clapping and nodding as they came over.   
  
Takato saying, "I agree, Kou. If Kirishima-san can't see you for the omega you are then you deserve someone better."   
  
Kou blushed as the other two young alphas laughingly agreed. Akihito felt bad for his new friend; Kirishima-san was a stickler for protocol and the man was dictated by his pocket watch. Akihito couldn't see how any omega could measure up to that alpha's exacting standards. He patted Kou's shoulder in sympathy, "I'm sorry. Maybe Kirishima-san just needs to see you more often? If he can't accept you for who you are though… well what is that Britannian saying again?"   
  
Sachi said, "There are always more fish in the sea."   
  
"Right that one."   
  
Kou frowned, "Easy enough for you to say, Aki. You've caught the biggest fish out there."   
  
Akihito looked at Kou in shock, "Wha…What?"   
  
Takato grinned and gave Akihito's shoulder a small shove, "Like you don't know Prince Ryuichi is just waiting on you to stake your claim."   
  
"What claim? I don't have any claim on Prince Ryuichi?" Akihito blushed and started backing away, "You guys are ridiculous. Go play your game, I have roses to draw." He turned and fled the chuckling boys. He shook his head as he moved past the large trees, "like I could be the prince's omega."   
  
Asami watched his omega turn from the small group of friends, clutching his new drawing pad to his chest and ducking his head as he left the four boys to their game. He smiled imagining the blush he was certain had graced his boy's cheeks and wondered what the group had been talking about to bring the lovely shade to his boy's cheeks.   
  
"I see Akihito and his friends have captured your attention again." Kirishima's voice penetrated Ryuichi's thoughts and brought him back to the conference room. His father was grinning at him and both Souh and Kuroda were smirking.   
  
Ryuichi just smirked back and said, "Kirishima we need to prepare a formal list of omegas in waiting for Akihito. I don't want his transition to my mate to be muddied by political maneuvering."   
  
"you believe the boy will request you claim him, son?" His father's grin could be heard in his words.   
  
"Like the boy will have any other choice. Ryuichi keeps him from meeting any other potential suitors. It is the biggest open secret in the palace." Kuroda snorted, "Who else would the boy ask to claim him if his only prospects are Ryuichi or returning to his father?"   
  
Ryuichi frowned and looked out of the window again; Kuroda was correct. He had been limiting the boy's acquaintances. "He will meet more at the autumn ball in a few days." He mentally nodded to his self. It wouldn't matter how many other alphas his omega met; Akihito would choose him. "Kei, get stated on that list. I think it needs to begin with Hatsu Kou."   
  
"Yes, sire."   
  
Ryuichi choose to ignore the laughter in his friend's voice instead he turned the meeting back to the original topics, "Since we've settled our version of the Hēung Góng trade agreement; I assume we're still inviting Liu Fei Long here to sign it?"   
  
His father nodded, "Yes, Prince Liu will be here for the autumn ball and we'll sign the agreement the day after. You'll attend the Hēung Góng dragon festival two weeks after that and sign the armistice agreement the after. That will conclude this year's foreign visitations. It would be nice for you to be mated by the dragon festival, though."   
  
Ryuichi looked up from the meeting itinerary and frowned, "Why?"   
  
His father sighed, "Liu's oldest isn't fit to be Emperor and he's leaning towards declaring Fei Long as his heir. To make it legal in Hēung Góng, Fei Long needs an alpha that will allow him to rule. Emperor Liu is convinced this is the time to join our Empires through marriage. He knows that you and Fei are friendly enough to get along and produce heirs and no he's not consulted Fei Long about the match."   
  
Ryuichi sighed, "Fei and I get on each other's nerves on our best days. He's determined to prove that he's just as good as any alpha. His father just needs to put his foot down and disown his first born. Yàntsui is a disgrace as a prince and an alpha."   
  
"True, but Liu's position isn't as secure as ours. The smaller principalities of greater Huaxia aren't as stable as the ones on our island, not to mention he has to deal with the Ottomans and Rus from the mainland."   
  
Ryuichi nodded. "We should find a suitable replacement for me then. One directly related to you and in the line of succession but unlikely to claim it. That should firm our relationship with the Liu's personally and with Huaxia politically."   
  
"I agree but whom?"   
  
The whole group pondered for a few moments before Ryuichi spoke again, "What about Yè? He's your nephew through your younger sister and technically he and his offspring would inherit should I, Rinichi, and Kuroda all fail to produce any alphas of our own."   
  
Kirishima nodded, "It would be a good match, your majesty. Yè is the same age as Fei Long and harbors no personal ambition to lead. Even his position as lead foreign operative is only because Ryuichi asked it of him rather than seeking it. He does excellent work at whatever he is assigned but has no intention of usurping anyone. Even better he'd have no issues allowing an omega to lead."   
  
"Yè is an excellent choice and he's been posted to Hēung Góng for several years so Fei already knows him," Kuroda nodded. "Shall I summon him home?"   
  
The Emperor nodded, "Yes, I'll pen a message to Emperor Liu as well. He'll want final say over the match and bringing him on board before we push the matter from our side will ease Yè's way."   
  
"I'll remind Fei that while in our country he is the one that gets to pick his alpha. It can't be helped if he mates while living under our roof?" Ryuichi smiled, "He'll like the idea of thwarting his father's plans even if it just by mating before any formal arrangement is made."   
  
"Then that concludes our meeting for today." The emperor smiled at his son. "Go join your omega, son. I am eager for him to ask for your claim. I want grand kids to spoil." He glanced out the window at where Rinichi lay asleep under the watchful eyes of four young courtiers and the Asami guards. "It would do Rinichi good as well to have an omega influence in his life."   
  
Kuroda snorted, "I'm not certain Takaba Akihito is the right influence for our young prince, sire. He jumps in front of angry jaguar."   
  
Ryuichi smiled, "I can't think of anyone better, Shinji. Our family has always prided ourselves on our willingness to sacrifice for others. It is what has made us such great rulers."   
  
Kirishima laughed, "Oh that note I move to close this meeting, any seconds?"   
  
"I second the motion, Kei. I have much better things to do than listen to Ryuichi and Shinji argue over the proper influence for the royal princes." Suoh raised his hand. It was quickly voted on and recorded by Kirishima's assistant.   
  
Ryuichi didn't wait for the others to rise and leave he quickly made his way out of the council room and down the palace corridors. The newer part of the building was clearly influenced by their Britannian allies. But there were no doors leading directly to the gardens from the more official portions of the palace. He had to cut through the main receiving hall, skirt the edges of the ball room and pass through the resting room next to it in order to get to the maze of connected gardens.   
  
There were numerous ones with the more traditional Japonese styles close to the building and the newer Britannian styled ones farther back where the imported trees could grow. He had listened to his omega as the boy had talked about the late blooming roses he and Rinichi had found the day before. His boy had been excited to capture them using the colored chalk that Ryuichi had purchased for him.   
  
He figured that was where he'd find the boy so he passed by the football game and only nominally noted that Rinichi was sleeping peacefully on the picnic blanket. Kage was nowhere to be seen. Unusual given that the cat was almost constantly in Rinichi's presence. He shrugged internally; the cat was probably in one of the large trees. Kage did like to watch the world from high spots when given the chance.   
  
He passed the tree line and moved towards the babbling brook the gardeners had carefully built. He could see the bright blonde strands of his omega's hair reflecting the autumn sunlight through the curling leaves of the trailing vines that separated the grotto from the rest of the garden.   
  
Kage's dark fur caught his eyes. The cat was stalking towards Akihito's back. The boy couldn't see the cat bent over his tablet like he was. What was Kage doing? Ryuichi quickened his pace. 


	8. Eight

Akihito wanted to be lost to the power of his art. His wanted his brain free of thoughts about Kou's assertion that prince Ryucihi could be his alpha and the doubts that often plagued him even when in his alpha's, the alpha's, company. He was trying to emerge his self in his work. It wasn't working.   
  
His fingers flew over the paper and the image in his mind's eye was coming together just fine. It just wasn't as cathartic as it usually was. He sighed and gave up. He placed his chalk back in the special holder Ryuichi had bought him and stared at the half finished picture in his hands. He wanted to be the prince's omega, he did, but the alpha could do so much better than him and in all honesty who would want to be tied to the Takaba family? He was born to it and didn't want the name.   
  
What would tying himself to Akihito really gain the prince? There were so many other important families he could choose from. Hell, there were merchant families that would benefit the Empire much more than the Takabas would.   
  
But, he wanted to so badly. He could see it more clearly than the roses in front of his face. His mate would rule the country and he'd spend his days making beautiful art. They'd have babies a few alphas to secure the line of succession and a handful of omegas to keep the alphas mindful of their actions and decisions. Perhaps they'll even have a few betas to for the full trifecta.   
  
He could even see them older and watching their children pick mates of their own and the grandchildren that would keep them young. He wanted it so badly.   
  
Someone jerked him from his thoughts and he looked up to see Sudo's snarling face. The beta growled, "You useless piece of excrement! How dare you seduce the prince, you slut! You really think you can mate the prince? You've already made him a laughing stock in the city. It is sickening to hear them talk about such a great man being led around by the likes of you." Sudo yanked him to his feet and started dragging him from the grotto. "You are coming home and mating Sakazaki. He's paid for you and he will get you. This nonsense with the prince is over."   
  
Akihito's mind froze. How had Sudo gotten here? Ryuichi had promised to protect him. Why was the beta allowed near him. He dropped his new drawing supplies. His mind half registered the splash they made as they landed in the small brook. It did register the loud scream and the blur of black fur as Kage flew over his shoulder and pounced on Sudo.   
  
Ryuichi's arms wrapped about Akihito as Kage tore at Sudo Shu's throat. The beta was dead before Kage had fully pushed the beta to the ground. Ryuichi just prayed that Akihito hadn't seen the carnage. Before he could ascertain if his omega had been harmed by the beta the grotto was full of guards and Akihito's friends.   
  
Akihito was pulled from Ryuichi's arms into Kou's and Takato led the two omegas away from the scene. The guards awaited orders on how to deal with the body and Sachi and Sohsu were trying to gain his attention.   
  
Akihito allowed Kou to pull him from the arms he really wanted around him and towards the palace. His brain was running through the words Sudo had spit at him. Were people really talking badly about Ryuichi? The prince didn't deserve that? Was it true?   
  
Kou led him down the Palace corridors and this time Akihito listened to the whispers as they passed.   
  
"it was the omega's family. It makes sense using the royal family to hide from them."   
  
"The Takabas aren't even loyal to the Empire. Why is the prince risking the succession for that?"   
  
"Sleeping with the prince without the security of a claim. Shameful is what it is. You'll never see my omegas acting like that."   
  
The words stabbed his chest and swirled with the hateful words from Sudo, what had he been thinking? He couldn't have Ryuichi and knew that. Stay with the prince was just making things hard on the alpha. Ryuichi was too kind to toss him out. He was just waiting for Akihito to show he could stand on his own two feet.   
  
The prince wouldn't make him go back to his family. The Asamis were good people unlike the Takabas. Ryuichi would help Akihito escape his family permanently. It was just the way the prince was. Akihito needed to buck up and show he was fine and didn't need the prince to coddle him. Then the prince could seek a suitable mate.   
  
The first step was to remove himself from the prince's quarters. That would cease the most egregious of the snide comments. So when Kou tried to enter the royal quarters Akihito balked, "No, not here. I can't be here."   
  
"Aki, what's wrong? You need to rest. You're stressed and Prince Ryuichi will want you to do so comfortably."   
  
"Not here, Kou, please." He fought entering the area.   
  
Kou relented, "Ok, Aki, how about my quarters? You can rest there, is that ok?"   
  
Akihito nodded as he squeezed his eyes shut. He really wanted to go to the prince's chambers he wanted to wrap the prince's bed sheets about him and let the prince's smell sooth the headache forming. He shook his head. NO! He yelled at his own thoughts. You need to leave this place.   
  
He forced the tears back and numbed his mind. Asami Ryuichi was the crown prince and deserved much better than Takaba Kudaranai. No prince needed a worthless omega. This was for the best.   
  
Three weeks of royal duties outside the palace and the approach of the royal autumn ball had kept Ryuichi from forcing his omega to talk to him. He'd politely requested Akihito's time through Kou several times. Each request was rebuffed with a penned note thanking the prince for his attention but stating that such notice was too much for a mere guest.   
  
Ryuichi grew more and more irritated at being kept from his omega and the whole palace grew with the whispers. He couldn't walk down the corridors with hearing some disparaging remark about Akihito's behavior or someone else speaking poorly of his obsession over the young boy. Things came to a head a week before the Autumn ball.   
  
The greater council was in session and unbeknown to him or his father the state of his mating. They had quickly moved through the regular agenda when the oldest of the council stood and introduced a motion to create a short list of omegas to be chosen from among to produce the next Asami heir. Ryuichi nearly strangled the old alpha.   
  
Instead he held his tongue. For nearly an hour the group debated the state of his impending mating. He allowed them their say and sat silently through their speeches. It harmed no one to allow them to believe they would have any say over his mate. He and his father had already decided who would be his though the omega in questions was suddenly playing hard to get.   
  
Ryuichi smirked. Little did his soon to be mate know, but Kou was firmly in camp Ryuichi so where Takato, Sachi and Sohsu. The young omega and alphas were a wealth of information concerning Akihito. For example he knew his young omega still had nightmares and when he'd wake it was Ryuichi's name he'd call. Kou had also told him that often he could hear Akihito whisper to his self how worthless he was and how he didn't deserve a mate much less the prince.   
  
It hurt to hear his boy was talking badly about his self. Akihito's sense of worth had been destroyed by his father. His friends tried to convince him otherwise, all four of them, but especially Kou. Ryuichi was pretty certain that they wouldn't be able to fix that perception. He did put it as one of the many things he'd spend his life working on.   
  
First though he had to get the boy to talk to him. He was self-assured enough to know that something other than Sudo Shu's death had happened the last time they'd seen each other. The horrid beta had said something to crush his omega's burgeoning sense of self. It was too bad the beta wasn't around to have the information Ryuichi needed tortured out of him.   
  
The Autumn ball was the traditional place for the formalization of alpha, omega parings. The alpha typically courting the omegas with gifts and visits between the formal presentations made during the beginning of August and culminating in the omegas declaring their intentions by securing the alpha's colors during the Autumn ball.   
  
Kirishima had already arranged for young Kou to wear not only his colors but his house crest to the event and Suoh had mentioned that the young lady he'd been courting for the past year had also agreed to mate with him.   
  
Ryuichi had his own plans to secure his omega. Rin had played a big part in the plan forcing young Ahihito to attend the protocol, decorum, history, and diplomacy lessons that Rin took four mornings of each week. Ryuichi would never admit to requesting that the lessons to center on the traditions, rules, and protocols surrounding the formal mating of members of the royal family. It had been Rin' idea to have him included in the mathematics, language and science lessons.   
  
The council finally finished speaking, but before anyone could call for a vote Ryuichi's father stood. Protocol said that only his father could halt the call for a vote. It was something he rarely did. Technically Ryuichi wasn't supposed to interrupt the council except with the permission of his father. It wasn't something they did often. The councilors were largely a fair minded and productive lot. They rarely took on matters Ryuichi and his father wanted left in their hands.   
  
His father raised his hands silently asking for quiet among the murmurs, "I agree that my son needs to secure the throne with an alpha heir. However, this council is the same group that selected Ryuichi's mother and I must remind this group of the near disaster that arrangement became. So before a vote on this resolution is made I must ask my son's opinion of the matter." He gestured to Ryuichi, "Tell us son, do you required this council's aid in claiming an omega?"   
  
Ryuichi stood, "Not only do I not need the council's aid I will strike a bargain with them. You may pick three candidates I will chose from among who ever wears my colors at the ball."   
  
The council murmured at that. It was an unusual bargain to strike. Their prince must be certain the omega in question would follow tradition and ask for his claim. The oldest councilor stood again, "We must ask the name of the omega you believe to have chosen you, your highness? Who do you believe will be wearing your colors?"   
  
"Takaba Akihito." He smirked, "Before any of you respond with opinions understand that he is worthy any who says otherwise is welcome to argue with Kage and Rinichi." 


	9. Nine

Akihito tried to roll over in the narrow bed of Kou's guest room. Kage blocked him on one side and Rinichi blocked him on the other. He tried to crawl over the cat only for Kage to roll over and trap him between his front paws. Kage nuzzled his neck then huffed.   
  
"Oof, you crazy cat go back to Ryuichi!" Aki pushed at the cat causing Rinichi to reveal he was already away by giggling. The boy become so wiggly Akihito was forced to sit up. He glared at the beast and the boy, "Aren't you two supposed to be in the royal chambers?"   
  
Kage had joined him the first night he spent away from Ryuichi. Rin had joined him a few night later. Neither would return to their proper beds. In truth Akihito was just selfish enough to not try very hard at sending them away. At least someone in the Palace thought he was worth something even if it was just as a glorified babysitter.   
  
It was too bad their presence at night hadn't stopped the nightmares. Those were only chased away by the prince. He sighed; he was glad that his nightmares didn't wake Rin up. If they caused him to snuggle into Kage's fur, well the cat couldn't tell anyone.   
  
Rinichi shook his head, "You're not there and Ryuichi is sad without you. Why won't you spend time with Ryu anymore? It's mean."   
  
Akihito shook his head, "It's not me he's upset over, Rin." He pulled the little boy onto his lap. "I know you think I'm being cruel to Ryuichi, but it is for the best. Your brother is the prince; you know he has to mate an equally important omega. I can't spend time with him anymore; it interferes with his position as prince."   
  
The little boy pouted, "That's stupid. We should be able to spend time with whomever we want."   
  
Akihito sighed, "I'm nothing special, Rin." The little boy growled at that. The youngsters steadfast championship of him always made Akihito feel better about his self. It didn't change the fact he'd never be good enough for the prince, "You'll understand when you're older."   
  
The boy crossed his arms, "Don't want to grow up if I become a stupid adult."   
  
The boy's stomach growled then so did Kage's. Akihito sighed, "Come on you two lets feed you before one of you eats the servants." He tickled Rin, "and yes it's you I'm worried about. Kage has more manners than to eat the help."   
  
He helped Rin get dressed then tossed his own clothes about his body. He could here Kou talking to the servants in the front room and from the sounds Kou was receiving a lot of packages.   
  
He led his two bed partners from the small room and helped Rin get a plate of food and cooled a cup of black tea for the boy. Rin liked to drink the same tea as his big brother. Akihito didn't tell the little boy that the heavily sugared and milked tea wasn't how Ryuichi took the drink. It made the boy feel more grown up a condition the boy wasn't entirely certain of wanting to be at the moment.   
  
He then sat a large bowl of ground meat in front of Kage. The servants hadn't wanted to feed the big cat indoors; apparently Ryuichi usually had the beast fed in the garden but Kage refused to leave Akihito's side. It had taken all of his persuasion and the promise of individual portraits of each of the kitchen staff, but they finally relented and sent Kage's breakfast along with the rest of Kou's guests. Kou had just shrugged when asked if Kage could eat with them.   
  
Though he'd laughed until he'd started hiccupping when Akihito learned there were over a hundred members of the kitchen staff. Akihito was barely through a quarter of them. He was fast but too much drawing in a day caused his fingers to cramp.   
  
It didn't help that Rin had started refusing to go to his lessons without Akihito meaning than Akihito had to spend the first half of the day essentially training to be a royal omega. He personally enjoyed the courses, though they didn't do much to stop the ever present dream of belonging to Asami Ryuichi.   
  
He finally sat down to his own plate of food and started eating. Like every morning Takato, Sachi, and Sohsu joined them. Takato took one look at his plate and frowned. Soon a second plate joined his first. Akihito knew better than to argue. The three alphas would just glare at him until he ate both portions.   
  
Kou was still dealing with a ton of packages. Akihito could see yards of fabric leaned up against the walls and brown paper covered all but a single wingback chair. There were piles of wooden boxes against the wall between the bedroom doors and Kou seemed to be trying to find space for even more if the line of servants Akihito glimpsed outside the entrance to Kou's quarters was any indication.   
  
He wondered if Kou had attracted an alpha's attention. It would be nice if it was Kirishima, not that Akihito could see the stuffy alpha heaping presents on Kou. Someone must like Kou an awful lot though. The packages kept coming.   
  
Akihito had learned a lot about how formal mating worked in the capital. The Sion principality was steeped in traditions that gave omegas a lot of say over who they were mated it. In fact it seemed that only the far outlying principalities still practiced the older traditions of only requiring a witnessed declaration of omega acceptance. His father's practice of selling his only child was actually frowned upon.   
  
They were all finished with breakfast by the time the last package was stacked and the string of servants left. Kou sighed as he sat down to the plate that Takato made him. Akihito smiled at the other omega, "Looks like someone noticed you, Kou. Are they from Kirishima or have you finally given up on the stick in the mud?"   
  
Kou frowned at him. "They aren't from Kei, no. I received his courting gifts yesterday when he invited me to the Autumn ball." Kou sniffed, "and my alpha isn't a stick in the mud."   
  
Everyone else at the table, including Rin chimed in, "Yes he is!"   
  
Even Kou chuckled at their chorus as Takato followed the statement up with, "but he's a good alpha. He's just very controlled; I think he suites you."   
  
Akihito smiled at Kou, "You know I'm only teasing right. I'm glad he finially responded to your longing looks."   
  
"It was my looking that caught his attention." Kou said primly. "I took your advice."   
  
Akihito shook his head, "my advice?"   
  
His friend nodded, "Yep. You told me I should tell him I was good enough for him to notice and I did." Kou took a bite and chewed before continuing, "Turns out he'd already noticed but hadn't felt comfortable approaching me yet. He thought he was too old for me."   
  
Sachi grinned, well he is nearly twelve years your senior, Kou. Maybe he's right; that's pretty old."   
  
Kou frowned, "No it isn't. My omega father was almost twenty years younger than my alpha dad and they are still exceptionally happy." He took another bite and chewed. When swallowed he blotted his mouth and took a sip of tea, "That doesn't answer Akihito's unasked question though."   
  
"My unasked question?" Akihito frowned. "What question is that?"   
  
"If the those packages aren't from Kei to me then who are they from and for who?"   
  
Takato, Sachi, and Shuso laughed. So did Rin. Akihito shook his head, "They aren't just your things from home? You've spoken often about not having enough room in these quarters for them. Since you're obviously going to come out of the ball claimed I assumed you sent for them."   
  
Takato laughed again, "It's hard to remember you don't have a very good grasp on distances Akihito." He chuckled, "Kou's from Okinawa, It would take weeks for his request to reach his family not to mention the time it would take to pack everything and ship it back."   
  
"Oh? Then who are they for?"   
  
All five of his friends including Rin started at him like he was crazy for several minutes. Akihito started feeling uncomfortable before Takato finally took pity on him, "I think we all underestimate just how little you think of yourself, Aki." He reached across the table and took both of Akihito's hands and squeezed them.   
  
It was Rin that actually answered the question though, "They are for you Aki, from Ryu." 


	10. Ten

The day of the Autumn ball was filled with dark clouds and thunder. It rained all day in pouring sheets of water that flooded Sion's streets and kept everyone but the most desperate indoors. The monsoon season was long over but someone had apparently forgotten to tell Kuraokami. The dragon deity was determined to flood the city and so far she was succeeding.   
  
The most desperate included the servants of the royal palace, the merchants with deliveries required for the ball, dressers for the elite, and the rickshaw drivers and palanquin bearers carrying the guests to the palace. It also included one young alpha looking for the final and most important piece of his friend's outfit for the ball.   
  
The rain didn't bother Akihito or Kou. Both had spent the day preparing for the ball. The morning was spent by Kou keeping Akihito from losing his nerves and running away. The afternoon was spent with a nap given how late they would be staying up before they ate a small meal and then bathed. It took nearly three hours for the two of them to finish dressing because Akihito refused have any servants help them. He knew they were all gossiping about the piles of gifts and he didn't want them to know before Ryuichi his answer.   
  
Now it was just a few minutes before Takato, Sachi, and Shuso picked them up to escort them to the ball and Kou was seriously worried his friend was going to pass out first. Akihito was pacing the room if only in the short steps the elaborate Kimono allowed. The young omega was whispering to his self and Kou could see the argument forming.   
  
He stood and grabbed his friend's hands and stilled him, but before he could say anything Takato and Sachi entered. Akihito closed his eyes and when he opened them Kou relaxed. His friend wasn't running. Shosu entered carrying a long dark cloak.   
  
"Dang it, Aki, I hope this is what you wanted. I'm soaked just trying to get this one."   
  
Akihito smiled as Sachi and Kou helped him into it. It covered the entirety of the kimono. "It's perfect."   
  
Ryu glared at his little brother. The snot refused to tell him what Akihito was wearing to the ball. He knew that the council had arranged at least three others to wear his colors and gifts had been sent to the omegas by the council. All three families intended to accept the possibility of the prince might choose their omegas.   
  
For the past week he'd sent numerous gifts to his choice. Other than formal thank you notes not once did Akihito seek him out. Kou and the boy's alpha friends also became suddenly quiet on the subject of Akihito. Other than assuring him the boy was well the too refused to tell him if the boy would be wearing the most important of his gifts.   
  
He dressed while his mind ran through his plan. He did know that due to the ordering of announcements Akihito would be near the end so it would be nearly an hour before he'll know if he's getting the one he wants. He stood in front of the mirror and retied his cravat. Then tugged it free and tied it again. He finally laughed. He was actually nervous.   
  
He, Asami Ryuichi, Crown prince of Sion, was unsure he'd succeed in the most important endeavor he'd ever undertaken. There wasn't much he wanted in this life. Most everything was given due to his birth. He had never feared hunger, never questioned his life path, and not once had he wondered about his purpose. One small wounded omega though had filled his thoughts with every possible type of doubt.   
  
He took a deep breath and tied his cravat with steady hands. Doubt was a waste of brain power. Akihito would be his. He slipped on his jacket and exited the dressing room. Rin was poised on the edge of his bed holding a small velvet box. It contained his last gift to Akihito, thought the boy wouldn't receive it until after he'd made his declaration.   
  
Nature refused to relent even as the ball room became packed with bodies. The palace staff was forced to open additional receiving rooms to accommodate the crowded they'd originally intended to overflow in the gardens. The rain also required additional servants to dress and join the originally planned staff at the front entrance to keep the floor dry given the water that attempted to flood the space each time the door was opened.   
  
It appeared the rumor that the crown prince would be accepting an omega had made it past the palace gates. The entirety of the Sion elite decided to brave the storm to witness the historic event. Luckily Akihito knew that the omegas for Ryuichi's hand would be called last. His entrance to the ball was only whispered upon a little and most was curiosity about what lay under the large black cloak he wore.   
  
The crowd was split on if he was wearing Ryu's colors or not. He noticed that most of the dissenters fell into the older courtiers. The younger generation seemed to be rooting for him. He was even cornered by one of the omegas clearly displaying Ryu's colors for a whispered confidence boost. The girl was in love with a young alpha back home and could she just peek at his gown. Akihito had hated to disappoint her. No one would know his answer until he was formally presented.   
  
His friends stayed with him for most of the ball. Several alpha's asked him to dance but he refused. The cloak was only held together by his hands and he didn't want anything spoiling the moment. Kou was eventually called to join Kirishima and present his intentions to the throne. Sachi and Shosu were both called away early by their brother to meet his intended.   
  
Aki watched from the back of the ball room as alphas were formally asked by one or more omega to mate. More than one alpha and omega left the ball disappointed. Alphas watched as the omega they wanted asked for someone else and numerous omegas were turned down even when they were the only omega offering.   
  
Akihito checked out the completion whispering questions to Takato to get a better understanding of who he faced for Ryuichi's bite. Strangely the more he learned the less worried he grew. None had received the gift he'd gotten. It was clear the clothes were picked by older alphas and not with regard to the individual omega's physical traits.   
  
Finally the first was called. He started making his way to front of the crowd. It was slow going and some people refused to move forcing him to wind through the packed room. When he finial made it close to the open area near the throne someone stepped on his cloak the garment he'd been hiding in the whole night.   
  
It was the gasp that gave it away. The remaining people between him and Ryuichi parted. Only one of the hopefuls had been officially called but it was clear from the prince's smirk which one he'd be choosing.   
  
Ryu had spent the bulk of the ball playing nice with the rest of the guests when all he wanted was one glimpse of his omega. Akihito though chose to first cover his clothing in black and then refused to even get close to the throne a location he was stuck at not just because of traditions. The councilor that he'd made the deal with had taken up most of his time with introductions to families and courtiers that supported the council's choices for mates.   
  
At least their plan for the Liu's was working. Yè and Fei hadn't even stayed for the formal ceremony. Fei had barely paused long enough to thank Ryuichi for not trying to mate him. Part of him wished the omega hadn't left eh party so quickly at least he'd have had someone to talk to.   
  
Instead he'd been bored for the past several hours. Then once the ceremony started he was stuck playing moderator as was his duty. It was position created when there was dissention about who an omega offered for and what alphas accepted. He shared the duty with the mate of the councilor that wanted him to mate for political reasons and almost laughed when the alphas mate whispered during a non-contentious offering that she was also firmly in camp Ryu/Aki.   
  
Finally it was his turn. Akihito had come to the ball. The boy knew he was going to be called to present his intentions. The first name had hardly been called when a whispered murmur sounded through the crowd. The back of the room parted and there he stood.   
  
The outfit was everything Ryuichi had planned. It was startlingly simple given the occasion. It was a dark nearly black blue Yukata and not a formal kimono. Even the obi was a simple wide band of blue and gold fabric. It wasn't the fabric that was important though it was the beautifully embroidered phoenixes in flight around the bottom third of the garment. Brilliant gold, silver, orange, and red threads formed the feathers of the birds as they flew through the nearly ebony sky.   
  
Ryuichi was crossing the space between them before thinking. He ignored the councilor's outrage at the breach in protocol and the one council selected omega that pouted he hadn't even gotten called. Ryuichi didn't care. He reached for Akihito's hand and tried to pull him from the crowd only to be met with resistance. He glanced at Akihito's face and paused.   
  
Akihito took a deep breath when Ryuichi reached him. He willingly let the Alpha take his hand but when Ryuichi tried to move him. He pulled back. He smiled at the question in his alpha's, yes his alpha's, eyes. He pulled words he'd memorized from his mind and spoke.   
  
"I, Omega Takaba Akihito, offer myself up to Alpha Asami Ryuichi, to be mother to his children, helpmate in his duties, and lifelong companion. I have nothing but my love and devotion to offer and expect nothing but the same in return. Will you accept what little I have to give you?"   
  
Ryuichi smiled. It made the ball room gasp. Their prince didn't smile. Then he dropped to one knee and pulled out the velvet box, "I, Alpha Asami Ryuichi, accept you Omega Takaba Akihito to be my mate, mother of my children, companion to my life, and enduring love." 


End file.
